


See Hear Speak

by WolfstarGarden



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst with a Happy Ending, Everybody Lives, F/M, Fluff and Angst, How It Should Have Gone, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, MWPP Era, Post Hogwarts AU, jily, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-15 23:29:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9263645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfstarGarden/pseuds/WolfstarGarden
Summary: OR: James Potter the Curious Case of the Confunded Canids.James has a better plan to thwart Voldemort than going into hiding with a Secret Keeper.





	

**See, Hear, Speak**  
****_  
__or, the one in which someone uses their brain instead of all acting like a bunch of fuck-tards  
or, James Potter and the Curious Case of the Confunded Canids_

 

The silver phoenix had told them where to be. James and Lily went immediately, responding to the calm urgency of the voice, knowing instinctively that they were about to learn something very, very bad.

They met Dumbledore in The Three Broomsticks, quickly and quietly were ushered into the back room. Strong charms and wards swooped around them and James blinked nervously, pushing his trembling wife into a seat while refusing one himself.

What Dumbledore told them was not entirely unexpected, but icy dread drenched James from the ends of his manic hair to the bottom of his dragonhide boots.

“So he wants us dead? _Us_ , particularly.” Lily said in a small voice.

Dumbledore steepled his fingers. “I’m afraid so. But there’s more to it than that. I was interviewing for a new Divination professor and she rather surprised me with a prophecy. It was overheard, and Voldemort is aware of it, though not in its entirety. The prophecy pertains to him and, he believes, to you. There is more...”

James listened to Dumbledore repeat the prophecy for them, knowing that he was not being told the whole truth, only what Dumbledore decided to share. As he listened, the ice in his blood cracked, splintering his body into painful, dying fragments. “He wants Harry?”

Dumbledore inclined his head.

“Why us?” Lily demanded, arms tight around their blissfully sleeping baby. She carefully stroked his smooth, perfect face. James gripped her shoulder.

“Only two Order families fit this prophecy. Harry is the child I imagine Voldemort will target, but I do also have concrete evidence. His informant is someone who desires to keep you alive and I have been able to convince him to work for us.” Dumbledore’s voice dropped. “There is no doubt that Voldemort has labelled the three of you, and Harry especially, for death. I am sorry. But we need to keep you safe.”

“How?” James asked flatly, eyes fixed over Lily’s shoulder at their peacefully oblivious child. Emotions roiled in him and for a moment he envied his son his ignorance.

“A safe house protected by the Fidelius Charm.”

James looked up, meeting Dumbledore’s gaze thoughtfully. Slowly, he shook his head. “We won’t be safe until we find the spy. The Fidelius charm isn’t secure enough.”

“I will stand as your Secret Keeper,” Dumbledore said, blue eyes glinting.

James met his gaze with angry steel. “I think it’s about time you gave back my Cloak, Professor. I’m going to need it.”

“James,” Lily started, but James interrupted her.

“And you, my love, need to turn your charms on our old friend Horace Slughorn. I have a plan.”

Dumbledore’s grave eyes flickered at the mention of the Cloak, but James could see he was intrigued. “Tell me.”

l-l

James and Lily are having the Marauders over for supper.

“Isn’t this nice?” James says, grinning cheerily around the table.

Lily glares at him. Because _no,_ this isn’t nice, not at all. She likes entertaining, and she’s quite a good cook - it _should_ be nice, especially because the five of them haven’t seen each other for a while, least of all as a group.

But both Lily and James know that one of the other three is Voldemort’s agent. And they know tonight they’ll discover which one.

James hates that it’s one of them: Sirius, Remus, Peter. They’ve been as close as brothers since school, and after every other friend and acquaintance and Order member had passed the test it had still taken him a month to ask them here. He doesn’t want to believe it, but he knows it has to be one of them. Even now, James really doesn’t want to know which one.

They went through all of their friends in a meticulous order of whom they deemed most to least likely. These three are men James is willing to die for – he nearly has, on many occasions. He has always believed they would do the same. But one of them, given the chance would sell his family over to Voldemort for glory. He’s spent the past month ranting and grieving and clinging desperately to Lily as he slowly, slowly came to terms with the facts.

He cannot let them know that he knows. So instead James smiles and passes around the bread, pretending that everything is _fine_.

Remus is glaring at him too, and James looks away. Remus isn’t a bad Legilimens and James can’t have him aware of his plan; Remus might be the spy, but if he isn’t he might let on that something is afoot. Sirius would start shouting and then Peter would know too.

“Lovely, James,” Peter says. He at least is smiling, accepting some bread as it passes. In fact, Peter’s the only one that looks happy. Remus and Sirius, seated either side of Lily, are both stony and steadfastly refusing to acknowledge each other.

James remembers when they fell in love, he remembers when they got together ... he knows all the hard times they’ve faced and hates seeing how bitter and angry the war has made them with each other. It isn’t right that they’re apart, and have been for nearly a year...

James knows how desperately in love with each other they still are. Everything about this is just wrong.

l-l

James knew immediately that something was wrong with Sirius when he arrived at the cottage. He’d arrived by broom, Disillusioned, and let himself in. “Padfoot?”

“In here, man.”

James made his way through the hallway, finding Sirius in the kitchen, looking tired and sore. His bare feet were perched on the table, long, unkempt hair straggling across his face. A bottle of Firewhisky was clutched in one hand.

“How’d it go?” James asked, sliding into a seat next to his friend.

Sirius shrugged. “We got it done. Snivels jumped us with some of those other masked lunatics. Hit me with his damned slashing curse. Messed my leg up a bit, but Fabian patched me up.”

James tried making small talk, but the noise of the war was too loud and Sirius was not good company.

“How’s Remus?” James asked.

Sirius shrugged again. “He should be home soon. Any minute,” he said haughtily.

James blinked. “Things okay?” he asked slowly, stupidly.

Sirius clenched a fist. “I dunno, okay? He doesn’t tell me a fucking thing. He’s away all the time, somewhere I don’t fucking know, doing something I don’t fucking know about with Merlin knows who.”

“Sirius, all Order business is supposed to be don’t-ask-don’t-tell. He’d tell you if he could.”

“Sure, Prongs. Instead he lets me imagine the worst. And the worst is pretty fucking bad.” Sirius’ eyes were dark and deep and sad, and James didn’t know what to say. He knew what Sirius was trying not to say though, and it made him very nervous and uncomfortable.

He said softly, “No way, Pads. Not Remus, I don’t believe it. He loves us. He loves _you_.”

“I keep telling myself that, Prongs. But the facts are what they are, and things are getting so bad for all of us ... someone is leaking the Order’s information, and with the amount _we_ cop, I have to think it’s someone fairly close to us.”

James was saved from answering by a sudden _crack_ emanating from the bathroom. He leapt to his feet, wand snapping into his hand. “You still allow Apparition?!” he cried.

Sirius waved his hand dismissively. “We’ve got biology filters. Seriously, Prongs, with my Charm skills and Remus’ knack for wards, d’you really think we couldn’t work something awesome out?”

“So it’s Moony back, then?”

Sirius grit his teeth tight, refusing to meet James’ eyes, his face suddenly shadowed and unreadable. “Guess so.”

“Aren’t you going...?”

“Nope. He doesn’t like me to.”

James frowned. “Sometimes, Pads, you astonish even me,” he snapped, and marched to the bathroom.

The door was open, only because Remus wasn’t expecting him. James knows, after years of seeing Remus vulnerable at the full moon, that there is no way his friend would let him see him in such a state.

Remus was crouched on the floor, clothes shredded and hanging off his lean body. His amber eyes were bright with agony. Blood spattered freely onto the clean tiles.

“Fuck, Moony!” James hurtled into the bathroom, reaching out for his friend.

“No!” Remus hollered, shying away. “Don’t touch me!”

James stopped beside him, heart pounding an anxious rhythm through his cold body. Remus struggled out of his shirt, his body a mess of bruises and deep, angry lacerations. Some looked suspiciously like bite marks. Everything was pulsing blood, and Remus’ face was pallid, his breath a painful hiss. He was clearly close to passing out, but still pushed James feebly away.

He was beyond baffled. It was still a week from full moon, and even then this was nothing like James had ever seen Remus do to himself. “Remus, what...?”

“Order business,” his friend growled through his pain, finally crumpling to the floor. “That bottle, there, Prongs ... please.”

James reached for the flask, and grabbed a towel. he carefully tipped the potion onto the cloth and at Remus’ direction he dabbed it tentatively against a bad shoulder wound. The skin seared and fizzled, and James’ heart did furious laps as a garbled scream pierced the air, Remus’ eyes rolling so far back only the white showed. “SIRIUS!” he hollered. “ _Get in here now!_ ”

In the kitchen, a chair thudded as it fell over and moments later Sirius skidded into the room, a mess of black hair and wild eyes. He fell beside them, instantly getting covered in blood when he pulled Remus into his arms. They might have been fighting, but they knew each other by touch and James felt like an intruder when Remus collapsed into Sirius’ grip and whispered, “Puppy...” on a laboured exhale.

“Remus, I can’t...”

“James,” Remus whispered. “Keep going, please. They won’t ... they won’t heal if you don’t. Ignore me, just do it.”

By the time he finished, James’ face was wet, sweat heavy on his brow and mingled with stressed tears. He was flooded with horror, deliberately not thinking about what the hell Dumbledore had Remus doing that he needed to have a potion on hand to burn his wounds shut.

Remus lay between them, lip caught between his teeth, enduring it all silently. James hated to think how many times he had been forced to heal himself, completely alone on a hard, cold floor.

 Sirius cradled Remus, stroking his bloodied curls, whispering things that James couldn’t and didn’t want to hear. The flask was all but empty when James finally finished.

 “How much is left?” Remus croaked. “I’ll need to get some more...”

“No fucking way,” James growled, moving away as Sirius tenderly wrapped Remus in a soft silk robe. “I don’t care what Dumbles has got you doing, you are not doing it anymore.”

“James...”

“No, Moony! _I’ll_ tell him if you won’t, but enough people are dying and I won’t have you be one of them.”

Sirius blinked a ‘thank you’ at him, and Remus’ eyelids fluttered with weary resignation.

There were a good few weeks for Sirius and Remus after that, where they lay low and loved each other, grateful and affectionate. But the old secrecies and tensions soon bubbled up again. James and Peter both tried to talk to them about it, but both Sirius and Remus were reserved by nature.

It wasn’t long before Remus moved out. He closed off from them all, and wouldn’t even stand with them when the Order took a group photograph shortly after.

l-l

James is not enjoying judging his friends. To distract himself, he serves everyone from the pitcher of butterbeer and raises a toast. “To my lovely son, and the beautiful woman who loves me for no reason,” he smiles. “We’re gonna miss you lot.”

Sirius freezes, goblet halfway to his mouth. Lily is blushing, Remus takes a polite sip, questioning eyes fixed on James. Peter gulps happily, before asking, “What d’you mean? What’s going on?”

“Why are we all here?” Sirius asks ominously.

“Well,” James says, setting his goblet down with a thunk. “Dumbledore’s discovered that our lives are in immediate danger. This is the last time we’ll all be together before Lily and Harry and I go under the protection of Fidelius.”

“You’re telling us this now?” Sirius explodes, slamming his cup down.

“Relax, Pads, have a drink,” James says, frowning. “Go on...” he wheedles when Sirius scowls, relaxing again when Sirius picks up his goblet and downs the entire contents in one draught. “Yes, I’m telling you this now. Dumbles has reason to believe we’ll all be dead by Halloween if we don’t hide. He’s offered to be our Secret Keeper and we’ll be gone until we can be sure that Harry at least will be safe.”

“Harry?” Remus asks around the rim of his goblet. “Why is Harry in danger? Surely the Death Eaters won’t target a baby, would they?”

“We’re not taking chances with his life,” James says, voice dark.

“Why is Dumbledore your Secret Keeper?” Sirius thunders. “Don’t you trust me to do it?”

“We don’t want to put you at risk,” Lily interjects calmly, topping his goblet up. “Besides, Dumbledore reckons he’s the safest choice since we have no leads on the spy.”

Sirius stands up. “Are you implying-!”

“We’re not implying anything, Padfoot. Sit down, fuck’s sake.” James rolls his eyes, and Sirius sinks grouchily back into his chair. “We’re just trying to do what’s best for everyone.”

Peter is giving James his full, rapt attention, but Remus looks thoughtful. He speaks quietly, “We all know there’s history between Voldemort and Dumbledore, besides him having enough on his plate. You might be better off with one of us... Unless you don’t know which one of us can’t be trusted.”

James grits his teeth. He should have anticipated this backlash. He trusts them all, that’s the problem. Each one of them is wholesome and awesome and damaged and dangerous. After three years fighting the Death Eaters every one of them has had the opportunity to join them. Anyone of them could have done it, over a year ago, and it’s not fair, not _fucking fair_ that James has to go through this now.

But if he doesn’t do this, he’s putting his family at risk and he can’t do that. He has to protect them. Harry has to be kept safe.

At least, James thinks as he tops up his own cup, it won’t be long now until they all know who it is.

l-l

They’d barely escaped from a bloody duel. Remus had been late arriving, and even though he’d thrown himself into the melee and been seriously injured, Sirius was furious with him. He was raging and stamping around the kitchen, Peter trudging along behind him, trying to calm him down while James removed the hex Remus had been hit with and healed his wounds.

When he was done, Remus sat up and took James’ hand, pressing their palms together. “Thank you,” he said tiredly, failing to force a smile. His eyes flickered warily towards the doorway. Peter was finally pushing Sirius into a chair. “He hates me now. He doesn’t love me anymore,” Remus whispered, voice thick with unfallen tears. He was choking on them. James’ heart ached acutely; he had never seen Remus cry and didn’t expect he ever would.

“Of course he does, Moony,” James said, flustered. “It’s just ... it’s the war, right? It’s putting pressure on all of us.”

“No, it’s different.” Remus looked at him, eyes dull with resignation. “Somewhere in it all he’s stopped loving me. You and Lily got stronger. We keep getting weaker, falling apart. He resents me. He doesn’t trust me.”

James didn’t know what to say, hugging Remus tight. He was trembling violently, so James left him to rest. He would to talk to Sirius, find something to help put Remus’ mind at ease.

Peter was talking in a low, hurried voice when James entered the kitchen. Sirius was listening, mouth curled open, expression dark as a thunderstorm.

“He was always worried he’d fall victim to that nature, wasn’t he?” Peter asked before he saw James and his sharp teeth clicked shut. “Anyway, it’s just what Marlene saw,” he finished hurriedly. James knew how Marlene and Peter liked to gossip, so disregarded the obscure comment as he turned to Sirius. All words dried up when he saw the brewing hurricane reflected in his eyes.

“I think I need you both to leave,” Sirius said in a detached grumble. Peter blanched and Disapparated without another word. He’d never been able to cope with Sirius’ temper. James stood his ground.

“Sirius ... Remus is-“

“Don’t talk to me about what Remus is,” Sirius growled, turning on him furiously, eyes flashing. “He’s my problem, not yours. Just _go_ James.”

“Padfoot, he’s ... vulnerable. He needs you...”

“Does he? We’ll see.”

Sirius was full of fight; his short and fiery temper always reached full steam in a single minute, then burned out in ten before disappearing again. Arguments between him and Remus were often over before they properly started.

James planned to hover, help them smooth things out when the yelling was done. They could have a butterbeer together, like old times, and then he’d go home to Lily. Everything would be fine.

But it wasn’t.

Instead Sirius started screaming about Remus leaking information to the Death Eaters, saying there was proof that he had betrayed them, that it was his fault the battle had gone so poorly. Remus lurched unsteadily to his feet and snarled that he could prove the same of Sirius. The fight escalated so quickly that James couldn’t follow it, until it culminated in Sirius bellowing, “ _How am I supposed to trust you when you won’t tell me the truth?_ ”

And Remus growled back lowly, “How can I tell you the truth when you don’t trust me?”

Tension filled the room as they angrily glared at one another. Finally, in a cool, detached voice, Remus said, “So this is what you really think of me. I knew it.”

Sirius blinked, startled at the sudden change. “What?” he snapped.

Remus breathed deep. James had never seen anyone look so utterly distraught.

“You really have stopped loving me,” Remus gagged on the words, swept a hand over his face, and then there was a sharp _crack_ and he was gone.

James waited for Remus to return, awkwardly trying to comfort an inconsolable Sirius. There were angry tears, then grieving tears ... the typical dramatic ranting and raving that was so very Sirius. Finally, his voice raspy and exhausted, he curled against James’ chest and whispered, “How can he even doubt that I love him? He knows I do. I don’t care if he’s the spy, I need him. I hate this bloody war, Prongs...”

When James finally left, Sirius was curled in a ball in his canine form on the seat where Remus had been. He was heavy and tired, worried for his friends. He hated the bloody war too.

Remus never went home to their cottage. Sirius was beside himself. He wasn’t good on his own, and with a new baby to care for James was glad that Peter gladly watched out for him.

As for Remus ... he disappeared. James panicked, thinking the worst, waiting for word. Nobody heard anything for over six weeks.

l-l

The pitcher of butterbeer is empty. It has to be now. James meets Lily’s eye, and she nods nervously. She has a lock of hair between her teeth, a habit James finds simultaneously endearing and disgusting.

“I have something to ask you all,” he says suddenly, putting his fork down with care. Three sets of eyes meet his and James takes a deep breath. “It’s about the spy. Dumbledore and I think that one of you know who it is.”

Sirius and Remus glance towards each other involuntarily. Peter squints at James. “You mean ... it’s one of us?”

James looks at him, a wave of affection and nausea sweeping over him. He can’t breathe. He can’t do this. But he _has_ to. It has to be _now_. “That’s exactly what I mean.”

“You were right!” Sirius shouts to Peter, leaping from his chair.

Lily tugs at him, angrily. “Sit down, Sirius, we don’t know _anything_ yet. Don’t say something you might regret.”

Sirius looks at her. His eyes are fearful as he slowly slides back into his chair.

James forces air into his starving lungs. It hurts. He bites the words out, each one a stab at his insides. “I’m going to ask you all only once: Which one of you is it? Which one of you is the spy?”

Oh fucking Merlin, _he doesn’t want to know_.

Two voices echo, “Not me,” a mixture of outrage and bemusement and sadness. James hates himself.

But the other voice, against its own intention, says, “It’s me.”

Everyone turns.

James’ heart plummets in his chest; a stone falling into the abyss of a dry well. “You? You’re the spy? You’ve been selling us all to Voldemort? _You_?”

“Yes!” the voice squeaks, and then Peter throws his hands over his mouth, terrified and astonished.

“What?” Remus sounds astounded, but there’s simmering anger there too, and he’s on his feet with his wand in his hand. Sirius is up again too, looking murderous.

“You filthy bastard!” he hollers, and lets a hex fly. Peter topples backwards; the slam of his chair hitting the floor knocks the air from his lungs in a sudden _woosh_.

“Stop him, Padfoot, before he transforms!” Remus shouts, falling instinctively into step with Sirius. They duel with perfect partnership, capturing Peter in a circle of blue light, snaring him in their combined charms and defensive wards.

“What have you done to me?” Peter stammers, eyes wide.

James can’t think, he’s too overwhelmed with emotion. He forces it down – this needs to be ended before he can give into it. He’s honestly amazed when his voice comes out steady. “Veritaserum. In the butterbeer. Peter, why would you do this?”

Peter glances from side to side, but he knows Potions better than any of them, and he knows he is compelled to speak. “He offered me ... so much. To refuse would have meant certain death. I don’t want to die!”

“Well you’re going to,” Remus snaps tightly. “You tried to have us all killed, you lied, you manipulated me. You turned us all against each other!”

“We would die to protect _you_ , Wormtail!” Sirius roared. “You filthy rat! You made me think it was Remus!”

Remus’ puts his hand on Sirius’ arm. “He made me think it was you,” he murmured, and they share a look, filled with hurt and anger and every sort of need. It’s obvious that there’s a lot they need to talk through, but James clears his throat. This really isn’t the time.

“Together?” Sirius asks softly.

Remus’ jaw sets tight. “Yes, I think so,” he growls, and they raise their wands.

James steps in front of them, reluctantly shielding Peter from their wrath. “Don’t kill him,” he says heavily, before turning to the empty kitchen doorway. “Moody, Kingsley? Now would be good.”

The air ripples with a magical flourish, and suddenly Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt appear in the doorway, James’ Invisibility Cloak dangling between them.

And the two Aurors briskly arrest Peter and take him away. It’s all very anti-climactic. James grabs Lily and pulls her to him, kisses her desperately. “I can’t believe it,” Lily whispers. “Peter...”

l-l

Dumbledore sent them all into hiding after Peter’s arrest – the Potters, the Longbottoms, Sirius and Remus. They settled in Godric’s Hollow, under the Fidelius Charm and every ward Remus could cast.

The Longbottoms were rather bemused by the sudden upheaval, but Dumbledore had been ready with an explaination. “Lord Voldemort is at a disadvantage now he has lost his spy. His plan may change, and the prophecy could just as easily apply to young Neville. Besides, I have another job that I would trust to none other than the six of you...”

They settled in easily enough. James had grown up in Godric’s Hollow and it was nice to go back to his roots. Only Remus and Sirius still seemed awkward, living together in wary quietness. One night, after a particularly gruelling day of bored research into ancient Hogwarts Founders’ artefacts, James rambled idly over to their cottage.

He let himself in. He could hear their voices in the sitting room, so stamped his dragonhide boots on the mat and walked through.

“How many times are we going to have this conversation?” Remus said tiredly.

“How long will it take you to forgive me? Years?”

“I’m sick of talking about this.”

“Remus ... fuck it. We found out in time, and we’re all safe. And _I love you_. There’s never been anyone else. I want to move on from this.”

Remus glared at him. Sirius gazed back, anguished and determined. James wavered, unsure whether to leave or to try and help. He licked his lips awkwardly, idly wondering how it was that he was always around for the big moments.

Sirius’ face fused with a strange understanding, and his hand curled around Remus’ chin. “Remus ... _look_.”

Their eyes met long and slow, not blinking, not moving. Remus stared with fierce intent, Sirius’ expression open and inviting. After a long moment Remus sighed and jerked away. Tension slowly coiled out of his body. “What happens next time?”

“We kill anyone who tries to come between us before they have a chance to plant doubt,” Sirius snarled.

Remus eyed him. “That’s a good plan. And we won’t work have to work apart anymore.”

“No more werewolf camps,” Sirius agreed, fingers brushing over the old scars James had healed in a bathroom so long ago. “No more fucking secrets.”

“Sirius ... it sounds good. But-“

“No buts, Moony,” Sirius said, his voice quiet and sincere. He curled his fingers into Remus’ hand. “This is a learning curve, and we fucking learned from it. I’m not going without you any more.”

“Stubborn bitch,” Remus mumbled, but there was good humour in his voice.

“I love you too.” A slow grin stretched across Sirius’ face. His hand wound around Remus’ neck, tugging him inwards. “Moony, I always have.”

“I know.” Remus’ voice had gone so quiet James barely heard him. He fidgeted, deciding it was time to leave. He was intruding on something too intimate. “But you know better than anyone how difficult it is ... what if it’s not enough?”

“Look, Moony, I’m an idiot. You know how fucking stupid I am. But you also know I never make the same mistakes twice. _Please_ , I want to stop talking about this and just go back to ... to how we were.”

Remus smiled, but James could see his lingering uncertainty. Tossing his head, he made a decision and clumped loudly into the room.

“Evening, children,” he said warmly. “Why don’t you just kiss and make up like a normal couple?”

Sirius’ jaw dropped in surprised welcome. Remus merely eyed him calmly. “We didn’t break up like a normal couple.”

“Right, I take it back. There’s nothing at all normal about either of you. But I can tell you both that the issues between you are entirely imaginary, even if their effects aren’t.”

“Prongs, it’s not really your place,” Remus said, fixing him with a bemused look.

“Ah, but it is, because I’m always fucking here, aren’t I? And I see everything because I have _glasses_ \- you should try it. Now, we all have to work together on this poxy treasure hunt, so like you said, be in love and work together and the rest will sort itself out. It doesn’t need to be that hard as long as you talk to each other.”

“Prongs, when did you become such a nonce?” Sirius muttered, glaring at him from beneath his ebony fringe.

Pain lanced through James’ chest, Peter’s face flashing through his mind. “When I realised that evil is only stronger than love if we let it be. So don’t fucking let it be.”

The three young men stared at each other, James just as surprised as his friends by the unbidden words. Remus reached out and grasped James’ hand, his eyes snapping back to Sirius. His breath caught on a strange sob, and he twined his fingers with Sirius’. “He’s right,” he murmured, amber eyes softening with emotional vulnerability.

Sirius smiled, sparing James a thankful glance. He pressed his hand to their two on the backrest of the couch, a show of brotherly solidarity. After a moment, James pulled his hand away and stepped back, turning to leave.

He heard the shift of two bodies behind him, the rustle of robes as they moved together.

James reached the door.

He grinned. To nobody but himself he murmured, “I think we’re all going to be okay now.”

And somehow he knew it was true.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I really kinda hate the way this turned out, but I still like the plot so I stuck it out and here it is. The narrative style is really stilted, I know, but I just couldn't seem to make it better on the edit, so blah. Hope someone enjoyed it.
> 
> It's my headcanon mixed with a happy AU ending. Even if it is terrible. Bleurgh.


End file.
